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Susie, Charlotte and I were blessed to be part of a mission project that was right up our alley. Sewing cloth pads for women in third world countries. I’ve done this as a business in the past and the girls are quick with scissors and machines! As a group we did over 300, even though our goal was 1000. It was a fun night with a great group of ladies and gents. Everyone found a job they could do and it was assembly line fashion. Super effecient, super quick and I hope they will be a blessing to the women they will be sent to.

100+ broilers have arrived. Actually, they came on Oct 13. So I’m a few days behind, updating. We lost a few the first couple days, but Murray McMurray hatchery is sending a refund check. I’ve also ordered a few laying hen chicks of a certain breed. Silver laced Wyandotte, Cuckoo Maran and a couple Buff Os. They are not nearly so aggressive when it comes time to feed, as the Cornish Cross. I’ve picked up #1000 pounds of organic, soy-free feed from the Amish Mill in Guthrie. We are blessed to live within driving distance of this mill, so we don’t have to order cross-country and get a ton as a time!

Collecting hay. We have so many big workers, now. It seems I’ve worked myself out of a job. Except that of photographer! Works for me. But it is fun to toss bales and stack bales. Even the kids enjoy it. If it’s not too hot, that is. Hay is awfully sticky, when it’s hot. We only got 100 square bales this time, so it was a small enough job to still be fun. And the kids even had the energy for shenanigans at the end. Good think Daddy didn’t see!

Grow tables! And self-watering too! We found directions for these self-watering grow tables on instructables.com. Jeremie, Susie and Tommy put them together with materials from Lowes and our own stash. The white baskets will hold the water, when surrounded by the soil. The skinny pvc, out the side, will be the overflow valve. I’ll fill them by the 2″ pvc sticking out the top. Roger, Jeremie’s dad, blessed us with bags and bags of soil, humus, vermiculite, compost, and more, so I didn’t even have to buy any. I hope to grow greens all winter long, in the greenhouse. I may even attempt a cucumber or tomato plant! I have 6 bins altogether.

Just a few hours late, lol! So today’s update in about Gloria. She has crossed the threshold from baby to toddler and is now completely weaned. She is 22 months old. She had only been nursing twice a day, and whenever I travelled overnight, she always did fine with milk from a sippy cup. It’s been a hard journey, because she is not a snuggler and nursing was the only time she will let me quietly hold her. And she would climb up in my bed and beg to “deesh”. But, Jeremie felt very strongly this was a good time to quit, since I’m now in my second trimester. He was really good to step in and take her for Daddy time, when she would cry and cry and pull on me. Broke my heart to tell her no, but the rough part is over and she hasn’t asked to nurse for days. She still is not a big cuddler, so I miss that. She is squirmy, busy and kind of a fusser. But, oh so precious and full of personality!

Today we are headed to UT, Martin to a livestock judging clinic. The kids competed at a national competition last month, in Harrisburg, PA. They have been learning such valuable information about livestock and learning great leadership skills as well. Henry county has a great 4H program and the kids have a fabulous mentor in Melinda Perkins, who travels all the way back from Knoxville, Tn quite often to teach and coach them.

In an effort to catch up on this blog, because I love this space, I give myself a challenge to post every day for 30 days. The news may be stale, but hopefully it will keep you entertained. So, no facebook until a blog post has been written!

I have been blessed by Charlotte. I mentioned to her that I would love a neckalce with all the kids’ initials stamped in metal. And Voila! I absolutely love it.It is everything I wanted. It’s beautiful and delicate, but strong. I love every detail about it. And I love her heart in making it for me!

Remember those days when you’re littles wanted to “help” you cook in the kitchen? Everything would take twice as long and be twice as messy! But it pays off in the long run. I’m blessed to watch my older daughters become efficient and proficient in the kitchen. And I’m blessed to watch them patiently take the time to teach their younger sister. I made a cake with Ruthie the other day and homemade ice cream with Jack, and it took more patience than I expected. Mia is much better at including the little ones and letting them get their hands messy than I am. But I like to think that she learned to be that way when I was younger and teaching her!

When my girls were younger I liked to always have them working on some sort of handicraft. Sewing, knitting, crocheting, or something silimar. Now they are all accomplished seamstresses, knitters and more. Ruthie has always watched them work and is now getting big enough for her own projects. She stitched this heart all by herself. Saying “up” and “down” to herself. I would often have to use my finger to guide her needle, but she’ll be churning out hand stitched items by herself in no time! And she’s so proud of herself!

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Hey! Welcome to our little homestead in Tn. Join us as we daily try to seek the Lord’s face and raise up the next generation of His warriors. There’s always something crazy going on here and we hope to bring a chuckle to your day or evoke an “amen, sister, I’ve been there!”